MULES AND JACKS 189 



jack may be, unless the dam is equally sound, and of 

 equally good conformation, one will seldom succeed, if 

 ever, in producing colts of high quality and of great 

 usefulness. She should possess good length, with a 

 large, well-rounded barrel; her head must be fine and 

 clean, and attached to a neck of desirable proportions; 

 her chest broad, her hips wide, and, finally, her style, 

 bearing and breeding of high order. 



For the production of big mules, large draft mares 

 only will serve. One may take good grade mares of the 

 Percheron, Clydesdale, Shire or Belgian breeds; either 

 is good and all are satisfactory. Some of the highest 

 class but not the largest mules are out of Saddle, 

 Standardbred or Thoroughbred mares. A dip of hot 

 blood is favored by most mule-breeders. 



225. Color. Perhaps color is but a play of the fancy. 

 Still, in the case of the jack it suggests lineage and purity 

 of breeding. Generally speaking, a dark color is prefer- 

 able, if not altogether demanded, in the jack. Black, 

 with white points, is the best fashion. With mares, let 

 the color be dark also : bay, black, brown or chestnut. 

 Good color in the dam will insure good color in the colt, 

 a matter of no small importance for a discriminating public. 

 There is no special merit in the color, and the breeder must be 

 careful not to sacrifice quality, size and substance for color. 



226. Organizations and records. It has only been 

 within the last twenty-five years that an American society 

 has undertaken to advance the interest in jacks and 

 jennets and in mule-breeding. The " American Breeders' 

 Association of Jacks and Jennets," issued the first stud- 

 book in 1891. The office of the secretary is at Columbia, 

 Tennessee. A jack stock registry has recently been organ- 

 ized in Kansas City, Missouri. 



